Hound Bay is a conspiracy-filled historical thriller.
Debut novel from former Royal Navy Officer and Film Industry Veteran David Wight.
Publishing Early 2026.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Matthew James Publishing is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Hound Bay, a chilling, conspiracy-filled, historical thriller from debut author David Wight.
An officer in the Royal Navy in the 1980s, Wight would go on to forge a new career in film, working in independent cinema before joining the Pinewood and Shepperton Studios group. Hound Bay sees the author uniquely blending his two previous careers to create a spectacular slice of historical fiction, set to be published in early 2026.
David Wight’s gripping debut finds Britain standing on the precipice of war. When forensic investigator Leyla Scott receives a gruesome photograph from an anonymous source, she uncovers evidence of a chilling resurgence: Nazi ideology reborn in the shadows. Drawn into a deadly web of espionage, betrayal, and buried wartime secrets, Leyla discovers that some ghosts refuse to stay buried and their influence could change the course of history.
“I was drawn into Hound Bay immediately”, says James Shaw, Publishing Manager at Matthew James Publishing. “David’s writing is exciting and haunting, but there’s also a tangible sense of realism to the story, the world, and its characters”.
“Hound Bay is a political thriller, a maritime mystery and a “What If?” with a ticking clock,” explains David Wight. “As an ex-naval officer I’m captivated by ships and the sea, and fascinated by why nations go to war. As a lover of film, I’ve tried to create a story with cinematic scale and pace, and a strong female lead whom readers will really root for.”
Hound Bay by David Wight is set to be published in early 2026.
About David Wight
Born in Arabia and growing up in war-torn Beirut, David Wight was educated at Ardingly College and Peterhouse, Cambridge, before serving as an officer in the Royal Navy during the 1980s. Moving to London, he forged a new career in independent cinema before joining the Pinewood and Shepperton Studios group. He spent some fifteen years working with film productions and developing the studios’ expansion. He now lives in France, where he writes full-time and contributes satirical cartoons to Private Eye magazine.
About Matthew James Publishing
Matthew James Publishing is an imprint of Andrews UK. Matthew James Publishing focuses on high-quality contemporary fiction and popular non-fiction books.
